Bus Drama

Today Lucas rode the big boy yellow school bus for the first time. He was so proud of himself! He had on the backpack and was waiting just like all the older kids do for the bus, except his bus is a special preschool bus. Lucas doesn't care that he gets on a different bus than the other kids, just that he gets on a bus. So off he went down the isle of the bus to his seat with the aid of an elderly grandfatherly man who had very kind eyes. His name is Tom. Robyn drives the bus and Tom attends to the little ones while in transit.

A few minutes after the bus drove away I heard sirens from somewhere in the neighborhood. So I decided that rather than worry for the next four hours I should just get in the car and investigate. I never found the sirens and I never found the bus. But I did end up at the preschool and I found myself standing in his classroom waiting for Lucas to be escorted through the door. The teacher was very understanding and smiled at me as I stood with three other moms against the wall waiting. And when he came through the door in one piece with a big smile on his face I was so happy for him. His first words to me were that the bus was bouncy.

Nick and I waited for Lucas to arrive home on the bus and at 11:26 am he arrived. The doors opened and I immediately asked the driver how he did. She smiled a big smile and said that he did great. No crying, no fearful looks, just happiness. I started to climb the steps into the bus so I could peer down the isle as Lucas came down. Instead of the smiling child just described to me I saw a twisted little face that had just burst into tears. Tom followed behind Lucas holding his backpack, oblivious to Lucas' sudden bout with crying. The bus driver saw the tears and immediately asked what was wrong. Lucas was unable to tell us what was the matter, he was so upset. He kept pointing back to his seat.

I assumed that he wanted to keep riding the bus so I told the driver that he is probably unwilling to get off the bus because it is so fun. She exclaimed that this is a first for her.

Most kids are happy to be home apparently. I scooped Lucas up from the bus, climbed down the stairs carrying both Nick and Lucas as I kept reassuring Robyn and Tom over my shoulder that he would be fine.

Lucas kept crying and pointing at the bus and Robyn and Tom both had the most concerned looks on their faces. Truly. They were both very VERY worried. I mean picture it: a three year old who burst into tears when he sees his Mom and then gestures frantically, no hysterically, to get back on the bus. It didn't occur to me that they were most likely worried because Lucas didn't want to be home. I thought they were worried because Lucas was being ripped away from his beloved bus ride.

So they reluctantly drove off after several minutes of watching me try to calm Lucas down. They literally watched me for several minutes! Finally I sat Lucas in a chair in the garage and got him calmed down enough to find out that he was upset because he had left his sweatshirt at school. He wanted to take the bus back to school to get the sweatshirt. I told him we would get it on Friday.

But now I have to awkwardly explain to Tom and Robyn on Friday why Lucas was upset - and try to make it look like I'm not concerned about them thinking my three year old hates me and would rather be with strangers all day than at home. I can hear it now: " He has a great, loving home life I SWEAR!! Please believe me!!"

My sister thinks it would have been really funny if Nick had started crying too and had also reached in desperation for the bus driver as I took both boys from the bus. PLEASE LADY!! HELPPPP USSSSSS!!!

this is all so embarrassing.
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Here are the kiddos playing in the dog crate with the dog. Mucho fun.